Although Velocity reward seats have increased in price in January 2025, you can still do a lot with 150,000 points. For starters, it’s enough points to book a one-way Business Class flight on many routes, including some to Europe. Here are our top recommendations for using your Velocity Points balance for excellent value.
For a running head start that gets you almost 75% of the way there, the Citi Premier Credit Card with Velocity Points has one of the highest sign-up offers in the market with 110,000 Velocity Points on offer.
American Express Velocity Platinum
- Sign-up Bonus:
- Up to 100,000 bonus Velocity Points¹
- Rewards Earn Rate:
- 1.25 Velocity Points earned per $1 on all eligible spend except for government bodies⁵. 2.25 Velocity Points per $1 spent on selected Virgin Australia purchases⁵. 0.5 Velocity Points per $1 on Government spend⁵
- Annual Fee:
- $440 p.a.
- Offer expires
- 30 April 2026
- The American Express Velocity Platinum Card has 70,000 bonus Velocity Points on offer for new American Express Card Members who apply, are approved and spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of approval, plus an additional 30,000 Velocity Points when you spend a minimum of $1 on your Card within 90 days of paying your second year annual Card Fee¹. (Offer ends 30 April 2026. New Amex Card Members only. T&Cs apply.) Includes several perks such as Virgin Australia Lounge Access² every time you fly domestically with Virgin Australia, 2 VA Guest Lounge Passes³ each year and a Complimentary Domestic Return Virgin Australia Flight⁷.
1. Fly to Doha in Business with Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways from 89,500 pts
Virgin Australia has operated long-haul international flights to Doha (operated by Qatar Airways) since June 2025. Economy and Business reward seats are available.
- Perth to Doha: 89,500 pts + fees and taxes in Business Class
- Brisbane to Doha: 119,500 pts + fees and taxes in Business Class
- Sydney to Doha: 119,500 pts + fees and taxes in Business Class
Economy rewards are also available from 42,000 pts (Perth) and 56,000 pts (Sydney and Brisbane), all plus fees and taxes. For Perth readers, 150,000 Velocity Points is enough for a mixed-class return trip. We suggest flying to Doha in Economy and flying back in Business to experience Qatar Airways’ excellent lounges in Doha.
Note: Carrier charges are payable for Qatar Airways reward flights and are included in the quoted fees and taxes.
2. Perth to Europe in Business with Virgin Australia or Qatar Airways
Perth might be one of the most isolated cities in the world, but the Western Australian capital is ideally located for great-value Business Rewards to Europe. The trick is to look for flights that fall into ‘Zone 10’ (up to 8,500 flown miles) of Velocity’s reward chart, which price at 119,500 Velocity Points + fees and taxes.
Examples that fall into this bracket include:
- Perth-Doha-Athens
- Perth-Doha-Istanbul
- Perth-Doha-Munich
- Perth-Doha-Vienna
- Perth-Doha-Munich
- Perth-Doha-Rome
Other cities in Western Europe, such as London and Paris, are priced into Zone 11, which costs 139,000 Velocity Points + fees and taxes. That’s still not too bad; you’ll have some change with 150,000 points in your balance.
Unfortunately, this ‘trick’ doesn’t work with Singapore Airlines except for Perth-Singapore-Istanbul, as all other European routes fall into Zone 11.
Note: Carrier charges are payable for Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines reward flights. These are included in the quoted fees and taxes.
3. Air Canada or United Business Class to North America in Business from 102,000 pts
Heading to North America? United often releases large swathes of Business reward seats in the weeks leading up to departure. You can fly from Sydney to Los Angeles in Polaris Business Class from 102,000 pts + fees and taxes.
Note that as of late August 2025, availability has become more scarce, but keep checking, as this may be a temporary bump in the road.
Air Canada is on a higher-priced partner table, so you’ll need 113,000 Velocity Points + fees and taxes for a Business Reward from Sydney to Vancouver. However, these reward seats are typically harder to come by.
4. Transfer your Velocity Points to KrisFlyer for better Singapore Airlines Business Class award availability
Singapore Airlines has some of the best Business Class products in the world. The airline is also usually generous with releasing Business Class reward seats for its own KrisFlyer members. As of September 2025, you can still convert your Velocity Points to KrisFlyer miles at the usual rate of 1.55 to 1 in either direction.
For example, Perth to almost anywhere in ‘South East Asia’ (even including Taipei and Hong Kong) via Singapore costs 40,500 KrisFlyer miles + low fees and taxes. You can convert just 62,775 Velocity Points to make that happen.
KrisFlyer does not apply fuel surcharges to Singapore Airlines redemptions. The airline also runs regular ‘Spontaneous Escapes’ deals with 30% off regular award seat rates. Note that Singapore Airlines redemption rates will increase in November 2025.
Read more: How to transfer Velocity Points to KrisFlyer
5. ANA from Sydney or Perth to Tokyo in Business from 82,000 pts each way
ANA flies from Tokyo to Sydney and Perth with the Boeing 787. Business Class reward seats are only 82,000 Velocity Points with low fees and charges. However, availability tends to be spotty in advance and improves from 14 days before departure. If you can snag a seat, it’s an excellent way to fly.
Economy is 45,000 pts + fees and taxes, so you’d have enough for a mixed-cabin return flight.
6. South African Airways from Perth to Johannesburg in Business from 82,000 pts each way
Another of Velocity’s partners in Star Alliance is South African Airways. You can book the 10-hour, non-stop flight between Perth and Johannesburg for 82,000 Velocity Points + low fees and taxes, one-way.
Fair warning – the Airbus A340 on this route is quite dated with ‘retro’ Business Class seats. But it’s still not a bad option if you consider the convenience and price.
Economy is 45,000 pts + fees and taxes, so you’d have enough for a mixed-cabin return flight.
Note: You need to call Velocity to book reward seats on South African Airways. You can search for SAA reward seats on Star Alliance partner websites such as Air Canada.
7. Virgin Atlantic Upper Class between London to New York/Boston for 103,000 return
From its hubs at London Gatwick and Heathrow, Virgin Atlantic flies to a surprising number of destinations in the US, including New York, Boston, Washington, Florida, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as Caribbean countries like Cuba, Barbados and Mexico.
From London, New York and Boston creep into Zone 4, offering the cheapest redemptions of 103,000 Velocity Points + fees and taxes return in Upper (Business) Class. If you can get on an upcoming Airbus A350 flight to/from New York, you’ll enjoy the latest-generation Business Class seat and one of the best onboard bars in the sky.
Plus, if you depart from New York JFK, you’ll have access to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, known as one of the best airline lounges in the entire country.
Read more: How to use Velocity Points to book Virgin Atlantic flights
Note: You need to call Velocity to book reward seats on Virgin Atlantic. You can search for VS reward seats on partner websites such as Delta.
8. Fly Virgin Australia short-haul Business up to eight times
On shorter domestic flights such as Melbourne-Adelaide, Sydney-Brisbane, and Hobart-Melbourne, peak-time Economy fares can be relatively expensive. However, you can often book a short-haul domestic redemption in Business Class for 15,500 points + fees and taxes one-way, with better award availability than Qantas.
Medium-length domestic flights (e.g. Brisbane-Cairns) come in at 23,500 pts + fees and taxes one-way. The longer trek to destinations such as Perth, Queenstown and Nadi costs from 35,500 pts + fees and taxes.
With 150,000 Velocity Points, you could fly the longer routes four times one way (or two people return). If your travel is primarily the shortest flights, you could book up to nine one-way Business Class fares.
Finally, Economy might be sufficient for these shorter flights. With the cheapest Virgin Australia Economy rewards starting from 5,900 pts + fees and taxes, you could book up to 25 one-way flights with 150,000 points.
Read more: Virgin Australia Boeing 737 Business Class review
Supplementary images courtesy of respective airlines and frequent flyer programs.
I recommend that everyone get a rewards search tool—there are plenty on the market. If you’re serious about making the most of your points, spend some spare time exploring the tool. You’ll quickly see where you can travel and exactly how many points you’ll need, then link internal flights to those locations.
United Airlines Polaris Business Class from/to US has all dried up since July, zero availability. Yet, flights are going out with almost 50% empty seats, experienced first-hand by myself and other travelers on flights. It has also been discussed several times on the Velocity Frequent Flyer Facebook group.
every time I search United to Los Angeles, its 1 million + points
Come on guys. Churning out the updates (this one is dated 2023) yet you are still showcasing Virgin Australia’s defunct ‘The Business’ product which was discontinued years ago.
Hi Bessie, please note the publication date of 2019. An ‘update’ can be anything as small as changing an article category, as was the case here.
Hi Matt,
Great article but I’m still new to this whole game and am tossing up a couple of options and I don’t know what’s better use of my current 100k velocity. points.
I’m based in MEL. Have newborn (7/1/19). Also 250k+ CBA diamond points.
We are thinking of, but haven’t decided on an OS trip this year (Japan?Italy?) So was thinking of saving points.
But I do have a family get together for Xmas 22-27 Dec in OOL.
I can use half of points to get business up there for the 3 of us (no more eco reward seats avail) and pay for return $280. Or don’t use at all and pay $360 W/ Jetstar for flight there and save all points for a possible OS adventure?
Hi 2Bias
This decision will all depend on how much you value short-haul Business class. We encourage readers to calculate the value/point based on what they would be willing to pay for the flight, rather than necessary how much it costs. So for example, if you are more than happy to travel in Economy to the Gold Coast, then the value of a Business Class flight there should be well less of the general advertised price of $800+ one-way from Melbourne.
The following Point Redemption Value Calculator should assist you with this decision. Make sure to read the instructions first. https://www.pointhacks.com.au/community/tools-calculators/frequent-flyer-point-redemption-value-calculator/
Thanks for the response Daniel. I made the call to just purchase economy tickets.
Thanks again for advice, I’ll make sure to use that calculator moving forward.
No worries 2Bias, glad I could help.
Outside Australia there is no use for VA except transfer to Singapore as the availability is truly nothing, even Etihad has none either.
I have flown the Business Syd-Per which is great and available and transferred for Syd-ldn in first on Singapore which is definitely the way to go!
Hi Matt – great summary! I think number five is still listed at the old KF rate though.
It’s 80 KF miles now, so 108k VA points, not 86,063.
Thanks, Marty! Guide updated.
I can see no award space for MEL – HKG. Is it because I am not a gold / platinum member with velocity or they just got snatched up too quickly.
Could be either but my guess is that as it is a new route, the seats for the first few months have already been booked.
Great summary Matt. The new Etihad carrier charges really suck. I’m looking up Brisbane to London and assuming 1 cent per point it’s $4,213 return. Yikes! That compares with commercial sale fares of $6,200.
I’m starting to think I should just forgo the lounge access and buy Cathay Pacific Premium Economy sale fares.
Stellar article. Very informative! Virgin America coast to coast sounds like a great option which I hadn’t considered. Thanks for the heads up!
I’ve been looking forward to this article for a long time! Great suggestions! 🙂
This article says it has been updated August 2023 but it has not i.e. Virgin Australia no longer flies an A330 with ‘The Business’. Can you please update fully? Thanks.
Actually not sure it had been updated at all, as it mentions a VA route that never eventuated.
Just to clarify, timing shown as an ‘update’ can be anything small including category changes. The ‘posted’ date is the last time the article was fully updated and republished. We do update and republish these older guides as we can, within the constraints of the time we have available.